Shameless Self-Promotion and Other Silly Notions

For artists, there is nothing shameful about self-promotion. After all, we sign our work so people know we did it. Sometimes artist get accused of “shameless” self-promotion when they spend more time on their promotion than their work. Other negative attention may come from well-intended Madison Avenue promoters using techniques for launching commodities when the art is not a commodity. Self-promotion by an artist can be the most effective type of promotion if done effectively in moderation.

If you aren’t willing to point to your work and say, “Have a look,” then who will. You put your work out to be seen and sold because you are proud of it, and people need to know that. One of my friends, a painter, attends signing events to promote his work. He said people just want to know about the artist whose work is going to live in their home. People who are interested in your work often want to know about you from you. In a way, self-promotion can be seen as part of the package of getting your art into the hands of people who appreciate it.

The best self-promotion hits home when it’s authentic. Good promotions don’t require tricks or manipulation. They don’t require discounts or artificial limitations. Original art already has built-in limitations that people understand and pay a premium for. The thing that your promotions need to make an impact with buyers is an authentic story. Craft your story in a way that shares your genuine motivation for the work you do. People are hardwired for story, and they are also hardwired to sniff out deception, so tell your real story.

The best self-promotion stories go viral…with help. What kind of help you ask? That depends on where you are in your career. For now, let’s work off the assumption that you are talented, but not yet famous. You really have two options available to you: events and digital promotion. If you hate live events, keep reading.

Events are your opportunity to meet your ideal customers and share your story in front of real live people. You get to see the look in their eyes when you say something that resonates, you can see their body language when they’ve lost interest in your story, and you can feel when people engage with you and your work. This real-life interaction does more to help you refine your story in two or three events than a year of A-B testing your online message. It gives you the confidence to tell a story online that you know resonates with people. Along the way, you might sell some art and make some new friends.

With your refined story in hand, turn your attention to building digital promotion. Have a presence on all the social channels you can create content for. This means, if you don’t make videos, don’t worry about video streaming platforms. This may seem like a shotgun approach, and it is in the beginning. As you post content, you will notice that you get more traction on some platforms than others. Focus on the ones that provide the best response until you’ve narrowed it down to your three best platforms. This doesn’t mean that those are the best three platforms for everyone, but they are the best for you. This is why I don’t suggest specific platforms here. They need to match your work and your story.

Never be afraid of sharing your art and what you do. Even if you have yet to sell a single piece, you are and artist worthy of promotion. And until you are famous, that promotion is up to you.

Learn more about displaying and selling your work on our main page at Artsite.studio